Love on the Line
by Danko Kaji
Summary: High School AU. She wants to find true love. He has no time for love. Yuna still holds a candle for Tidus, her ex-boyfriend. Baralai spends the last of his adolescent days taking care of his great-grandmother, Yunalesca. One night they wind up in each other's arms and forge an unconditional bond. Now their relationship has become the center of horrible misunderstandings. [BxY]
1. Chapter 1 - Youth

Chapter 1 - Youth

"_It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone… but it takes a lifetime to forget someone."_

― _Kahlil Gibran_

* * *

"That movie totally blows."

Baralai holds the door open for his date. "How so?"

Dagger-thrown complaints intercept Paine's good manners; after tossing away the watered-down soda in the trash, she snatches the bucket of popcorn from his hands, speaking in between dainty mouthfuls. Taking in stride her deliberate stomps, Baralai withholds his opinion so she can vent to her heart's content.

"Couldn't you see? Limitless was about this novelist who couldn't write a stupid story, and then he meets some long lost brother-in-law who gives him this magical drug and… damn, the movie got boring in the middle. I was expecting more action, but the only real exciting part was near the end when that Russian guy tried to kill him. Instead, all we get is a loser living the good life. I didn't come to watch a movie about crap that already happens in real life."

To hear his friend speak of her passionate discontent shows how much she didn't enjoy herself. Baralai sighs, disappointed. Sitting down on the bench beside a stairway, he pries the empty bucket from her vice grip before Paine can hurt herself chomping on un-popped acorns.

"I'm impressed how realistic the movie was, given the fact it was science fiction. If you would stop to think about it, the movie was more than just a failure novelist who lived a dishonest life through a magical drug. Watching the movie, you could learn not to repeat the same mistakes he did. Dabbling with money and shady people while acting like you have a Jesus-complex can only bring bad luck."

Paine snorts, crossing her arms. She can feel the incoming boredom by the second half of his first sentence, and somehow manages to pay attention at the end. "Karma, right?"

"Precisely." Baralai smiles and motions for her to sit down, but she ignores the offer and remains standing. "The ending seemed happy on the surface, but look what he got himself into. He made an enemy of his own mentor, who did his best to mean well after they became rivals in the business world. And he managed to win the girl in the end? I say he doesn't deserve her."

"Well, I liked the ending. It wasn't sad. And of course he won the girl. What main character doesn't?" Tired of standing, Paine plops on the bench, lounging with her legs crossed.

"Yes, but…" He frowns, annoyed. Normally he would devise a smooth plan to make a move, perhaps hold her hand or wrap an arm around her shoulder, but expressing his opinion stole precedence. "Did you not see what he did throughout the movie? He may have cared for his girlfriend greatly, however he's far from the self-respecting type. While he had an on-off relationship with her, he slept with other women, even without the drug's influence. What does that say about his character?"

"That he's a typical guy. I think that was normal." She shrugs. "I didn't like it either, but so what? It's just a movie."

"Yes. You're right. It's just a movie." Baralai slumps into his seat, resigned. He expected Paine to be more delicate or considerate outside her blunt persona when they were alone, but she still acts the same even without their friends around. At the least, he wanted her to possess some capacity to hold a meaningful or intellectual conversation about a movie beyond its mere purpose of entertainment. Maybe he expected too much, or maybe he did not know Paine as well as he thought he did. Regardless of the facts, today discouraged his feelings.

"I have to go to the bathroom. Mind waiting?"

"No. Take your time."

And she departs up the stairs, hurrying to relieve herself. Baralai disposes of the bucket in the meantime, wiping his hands afterwards with a clean napkin. Salt and butter still lingers on his fingers, and he sighs. He wants to wash his hands clean, but what if Paine gets out first and sees him not here? She might jump to conclusions. No amount of reasoning can sway this girl._ 'To wait or not to wait? Hm…'_

Before he can return to his place of vigil at the bench, someone calls out to him.

"Baralai!" Hovering by the food counter, Yuna waves. There's something enticing about the innocent energy found in each bounce of her step, how she almost seems to skip on her way over to greet him. "Fancy seeing you here." Unique beauty glows in her blue and green eyes, and he feels blessed to have met someone with heterochromia who feeds his intellectual curiosity. Gippal would call it a "fetish" or "guilty pleasure," if he were to ever discover this embarrassing secret.

He smiles, mood a little uplifted. "Hello. It's nice to see you. Are you with your parents?"

"Mm-hmm. They are buying food." Yuna grins, indicating the direction from whence she came.

Baralai raises an eyebrow. What teenager shows genuine excitement to be found at the movies with their parents? He peers over Yuna's shoulder, curious. The grown man with long hair tied in a Japanese ponytail must be her father, too busy paying the cashier to acknowledge his daughter's disappearance. His wife must be the pretty blonde woman beside him who stares without bothering to hide the fact. Her mischievous smile amuses him somehow, motivating him to give a polite wave. His acknowledgment only eggs her on, eagerly waving back. Baralai chuckles when she makes the two-finger sign: _I am watching you._

Yuna giggles. "My mom likes you."

Sensing the mock conspiracy in her hushed voice, Baralai matches her tone mirth for mirth. "How do you know?"

"I saw you two make eye contact."

"Of course. Wouldn't it be rude otherwise?"

Yuna nods with a knowing smile. "Yes, but… My mom always says that a person willing to make eye contact shows great character."

"Oh. Well." Baralai blushes a little, flattered. "Tell her I said thank you."

"I will. So, what movie are you going to watch?"

"Limitless. I already watched it." Since their conversation brought his given circumstance back into full circle, Baralai already feels his mood deteriorating. He didn't want to reflect how successful this expenditure turned out to be, lest he reconsider his prospects. "Now I'm waiting for my date to return from the bathroom." Yuna looks stricken, as if scandalized by the thought she might have been interrupting something important, and then smiles when she thinks about who he may be with.

"Is it Paine? Rikku told me."

"She's still the gossiper, I see."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Was that supposed to be private?"

Baralai blinks, surprised by the depth of her serious sincerity, and he laughs. "No. You don't have to apologize. I'm only teasing."

"If you don't mind me asking, have you finished writing your first draft?"

"For our History paper? Not yet. I'm still brainstorming."

"For me," Yuna says, clasping her hands together, and looking to the ceiling above, "brainstorming is watching a storm come in close, and you can see all the lightning and hear all the thunder. But it never actually hits. Something complex and altogether wondrous. Don't you think?" Baralai finds her enthusiasm infectious, feeling the corners of a smile mimic her own. His mind produces a mental image of nature's more violent side, tearing the world asunder and instilling fear within the minds and hearts of countless civilians. Baralai can't deny the raw and frightening beauty found there.

"Yes, like… you can feel there are great ideas, but they are far away in your mind."

"Exactly. I'm glad you understand."

Baralai chuckles and crosses his arms in mock contemplation. "Hmm… You don't _seem _like a chaotic person to me. I always thought you were quite peaceful."

Yuna giggles, swaying her hips. "I like to stand outside and watch thunder storms come in."

"I mean no offense, but you don't look like the type of person to."

"Well, you'd be surprised. Thunder is relaxing once you get rid of the scary part. There was one night, back when I was just a kid. There were thunder clouds all around, but right above me, the sky was clear and starry. It was beautiful."

"What a pleasant clash of colors. It sounds glorious. Perhaps I'll join you, if the weather changes."

"Hey." At the sound of her clipped voice, Baralai resists the urge to palm his forehead. Paine does not sound pleased, especially when her deliberate descent down the stairway makes his stomach churn. Broiling red emotion glows in her glare like something fierce. "We're not done with our date, right? I recall we still need to do dinner. That's how this works, last I checked."

"Oh… I, um… hi, Paine." Yuna withers at the receiving end of her hostility, confused. "I'm sorry I interrupted… I guess this means it's time for my movie. See you later, Baralai."

"See you, Yuna." Baralai hesitates to look at his irate partner, watching Yuna wave goodbye before jogging over to join her family. Undergoing mental preparation for the worse, he sighs and acknowledges Paine's seething presence. "…Was that necessary?"

"Excuse me? You're the one flirting with others while already on a date."

"Where was I when this flirting took place? Please, remind me." He doesn't appreciate this attitude, doesn't feel like dealing with it right now. "Unless I'm forbidden to talk about school…"

"Ugh. Just forget it. I'm hungry. Let's go." She crosses her arms and stalks out the theatre, bewildering him with her brisk dismissal.

"Paine, wait." When she shuts him out with stubborn silence, Baralai resigns to follow. Picking up the pace, he grasps her arm and she jerks away. "I said wait! Why are you so angry?" Paine stops stomping the parking lot long enough to sigh and uncross her arms, and her voice sounds vulnerable all of a sudden.

"I thought we were supposed to be best friends."

"What? Of course! Why would you even…" Baralai sighs, rubbing his temple. "I don't understand. Can you please tell me in a way I can?"

She turns away to hide the expression on her face. "Never mind. I don't want to talk about it."

He looks at her, silent in his agony to reach her closed heart.

* * *

_What does it mean to fall in love, to give your heart out to someone special? _

_To fall in love like in the legends, a royal and a peasant, like in Aladdin, or lovers of rival families, like Romeo and Juliet. To be swept off your feet by prince charming, like Snow White. To fall in love at first sight, like Cinderella. To be saved by a knight in shining armor, like Sleeping Beauty. To marry the love of your life, to find romance in a sworn rival, to settle down with the resident bully, or to date the woman of your dreams. _

_First love. Opposites attract. Taboo. Second love. Stockholm syndrome._

_Childhood friends. Star-crossed lovers. Soulmates._

_How do you know when you fall in love?_

Baralai sighs, shifting his focus to doodle on the corner of a page. Teenage relationships bring on a whole new world of exhaustion for him. They are so complicated, and he wonders what did he ever do to deserve his friend's wrath. Paine's behavior the day before puzzles him. He never took her for the jealous type, and since when does she ever overreact to the presence of other girls? Why has she been acting so sensitive around him lately?

Trying to understand the adolescent mindset makes his head hurt, and he decides to stop the chapter there for now. Yuna will be arriving soon to work on their essays and he needs to be prepared. Before Baralai can head upstairs to his room and grab his backpack, the cell phone rings and he stops to answer it.

"_Sooo… how'd the date go?"_

Baralai re-adjusts the phone on his shoulder, smiling. "Why, hello, Miss Rikku."

"_What? Dude, no! This is Gippal!"_

He senses his pout on the other end and chuckles. It never gets old, teasing him. "You could have fooled me."

"_Now you're just being mean."_

"I know."

"_Anyway, spill it. You didn't call me yesterday _after_ the date, and you didn't call me _at all_ today."_

"It's one o'clock, Gippal. Half the day isn't even over. Plus it's not like I will disappear if you don't hear from me for a day or two."

"_B'man, I know how you are. If you don't call in forty-eight hours, you won't feel like calling anyone for _days! _Remember last summer? You didn't call for three months! And when I finally heard your voice, I didn't recognize you!"_

"You see me at school everyday. And you know I'm not a cell phone kind of person."

"_We're two years apart, and you're in all those advanced classes and you go straight home after school ends. I'm lucky to even catch you during lunch! See how hard I work to be your best friend?"_

"Right now you're trying to guilt trip me into giving you details about yesterday. I know your ploy." He does feel guilty, of course, does not feel proud of his tendency to value his solitude over time with his friends, but Gippal doesn't need to know that. "Why don't you be honest with yourself and say you miss me?"

Meandering into the kitchen, Baralai rummages through sealed and packaged food in the closet until he excavates a bag of pretzels. Maybe Yuna would like to snack on these while they study. He could also make them cups of hot cocoa with the NesQuik mix…

"_You're gonna be like that now? Okay. Let's see… I miss the good old days where you would bend over for me-."_

Baralai blanches, mortified. "Okay, that's enough. You're embarrassing me." His face flushes in anger when he hears Gippal start cracking up. "I hate when you get crude."

"_I love how you don't deny it."_

"There's no point in telling you to stop. You don't like to listen."

"_If you really want me to listen, now's the perfect time~."_

"Well." Pouring pretzels into a medium-sized bowl, Baralai wraps a rubber band around the bag and places it aside for later. He leans on the counter while munching on the salty treat. "It was… bittersweet."

"_Bittersweet? As in she left you wanting more or she didn't want to go all the way or you left much to be desired~?"_

"Please do me a favor and destroy that moronic line of thinking."

"_C'mon. Don't deny it. You were thinking it."_

"I'm not _you_, Gippal." Pause for dramatic effect. Baralai finishes chewing and swallows, plucking another pretzel from the pile. "You are a sex fiend."

"_And you, my dear friend,"_ Gippal says, mimicking his well-mannered voice to sound obnoxious, _"are a beast with too much pent-up energy."_

"I am _not_ a beast with too much pent-up energy."

"_You need a lady friend. Seriously. You're as stiff as a turd."_

Baralai sighs, reigning in his annoyance. "I have no comment for you this time."

"_Your unwillingness to talk means that I'm _right!"

"If that's what helps you sleep at night then please, keep telling yourself that." The doorbell rings and he stands straight, pilfering a napkin from beneath the sink to wipe his hands. "That must be Yuna. I'm sorry to cut our conversation short, but I have to go."

"_Yuna? Ooh, Yuna. Tidus's ex-girlfriend. Be careful whose territory you tread, B'man."_

"Pardon me?" Tossing the napkin away, Baralai ambles into the living room with a stern beat to his step. He halts by the front door, holding the phone in his hand now. "Do you always have to associate people by their past relationships? Yes, Yuna. My classmate, my friend. Interpret it however way you like. She's here to study with me."

"_Geez, you don't have to get so defensive."_

"Well, I apologize for being defensive. Sometimes I don't like the way you talk about people."

"_Touchy, touchy… okay. See ya, dude."_

"Yes. Talk to you soon."

"_We'll continue this another day!"_

"Yes, we shall discuss in full the incriminating details of my love life."

"Nonexistent_ love life."_ Baralai rolls his eyes in a rare moment of insolence. _"And don't you be rolling your eyes at me. It's true!"_

"Goodbye, Gippal."

"_Farewell, but not goodbye."_

Baralai smiles. "Farewell, but not goodbye."

Ending the call, he pockets his phone and opens the door. Standing on his porch and shivering in her grey peacoat, Yuna smiles. The polite greeting he planned to give dies on his tongue. It stuns him for a moment how her long beautiful red scarf flows in the cold wind, how her short and layered hair floats around cheeks pinched pink with cold. His fingers itch for a pen to write down the details of this pretty phenomenon.

Yuna's mouth forms words that Baralai barely manages to catch.

"Hello. Thank you for having me."

"You…" He clears his throat and smiles. "You look pretty."

She blushes, flattered. "Th-Thank you."

"Thank you for coming." He steps aside to invite her in and she brushes by, taking off her coat.

"But of course. Were you talking to Gippal? Is he here?"

"Oh." Pause. He contemplates, nervous. How much of the conversation did she pick up?

Baralai obscures his discomfort behind a laugh, and offers to put her coat in the closet. Yuna gives a quiet 'thank you' and relinquishes it; he reciprocates with a quick 'you're welcome' and puts it away. "No. I was on the phone with him. How did you know?"

She giggles. "I heard you say his trademark goodbye."

He steps outside to look at the sky. Cloudy and windy, with the possibility of rainshower. Baralai frowns and holds out his hand, feeling water sprinkle onto his palm. The calm before the storm. How fitting of the weather to reflect his current mood, or maybe it heralds the tides to come. Somewhere deep inside, he dreads what the future will bring.

"Baralai? What are you doing?" Yuna stands by the doorway, bundling the scarf around her neck to add extra layers. She extends her hand, as if coaxing him to snap out of his senses and come inside.

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry, I was checking the weather…"

Never did a woman look so warm and inviting than in this given moment. He enjoys the soft feel of her small hand in his own and smiles, before closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2 - Soulmate

_(A/N): The beginning of this chapter was inspired by an AMV called "The Age of Man" ― go watch it. It's a spiritual experience. _

_I wanted to start out with something so broad and significant in scope, and then narrow it down to two single individuals. This is not a typical love story about teenage drama; it's a story about life. I want it to be thought-invoking, despite the fact it's set in a high school setting. _

_For my readers who are teenagers: just because you are a teenager, doesn't mean you are too young to treat life seriously. You can be mature as any other model adult, if you know what you want in life and are aware of the consequences ― the risks and sacrifices involved, and the actions that must be taken. _

_Don't let youth ever be an excuse, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Don't be afraid of being different ― even if it's a lonely existence. It will be hard, and impossible at times, but in the end your life will feel much more fulfilling (than if you were to do nothing meaningful early on)._

* * *

Chapter 2 - Soulmate

_"Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies."_

_― Aristotle_

* * *

_One person dies every second worldwide, at least one. One hundred and eight people die every minute worldwide. Seven point four billion people die each year of cancer worldwide. There are more than one hundred types of cancer; any part of the body can be affected. In the year 2011, there were a hundred and thirty-nine bombings in Sudan; each bombing attack caused fourteen casualties. One person commits suicide every forty seconds. There are two bullets for every person on the planet._

_In a world such as this, full of lies and harsh realities ― a compound of "man" and "age" ― how can one even begin to hope for better days when today's tragedies will always casts its shadow on the light of tomorrow?_

_Crime, famine, murder, disease ― we are all victim to mortality._

_You tell yourself, "be brave"; you tell your loved ones, "I'll wait for you" "stay safe" "I miss you" ― but does it do you any good? How do you know when words carry solid guarantee? How do you know your life has any meaning?_

_You don't. However..._

_About four to five people are born every second worldwide; two hundred and sixty-seven people are born every minute worldwide. Two hundred million couples make love every day. Ninety-two million blood donations are collected annually. Love has more search results than fear. The average person laughs thirteen times a day. While one scientist is creating a weapon, one million moms are baking cakes. One septillion snow crystals drop from the sky each winter._

_In the words of Mahatma Ghandi, "You must be the change you want to see in the world."_

"What are you writing?"

"My thoughts, and experiences..."

Marking the date, Baralai closes the notebook and swivels around in his chair. Yuna stood by the bookshelf while he wrote down his reflection for the day, admiring his collection of novels, before walking over to check what he had been doing. He smiles, looking up at her. "That was a marvelous video. What did you call it again? An AMV? I never thought something compiled together from various anime could yield this kind of profound effect on me. Thank you for showing me."

Yuna smiles, twining her hands at her back. "You're welcome. Doesn't it feel historical? I thought it would fit with our discussion."

"Definitely. I feel... after watching this video, I've come to realize the true value of my life. After all, you only live once. You never know when you will die. Life is too short... to squander away." Baralai stops there, winded by the depth of those words, and falls silent.

He thinks about his great-grandmother, a strong and healthy stubborn woman whose years are catching up to her. She outlived her children and raised her grandchildren, and now she lives in the care of her great-grandchild. The only one old enough and willing to look after her, at any rate. Her husband had passed on before her many years ago, and it surprises him she didn't follow him in the afterlife. What drives her to hang onto the diminishing last thread of her life?

And Baralai wonders how brainstorming for essay ideas led to this.

For the past hour, they talked about history. The Civil War, its significant effect on slavery, and the freedom that followed in the aftermath, which shaped their modern world. Important points made caused them to dig deeper into the nature of things. Would either of them still exist today without that war or would they still be alive somewhere, living in the country of their ancestors? They tried to imagine their individual lives without American freedom, could not, and shuddered to think about it.

In the topic of History, they also talked about how the Civil War resulted in the ambulance they know now. Before the time of modern vehicles or advanced medicine, injured soldiers were carried off the battlefield on wagons with their raw bullet wounds and amputated limbs. Yuna expressed her utter discontent, heartbroken by the death count each war racks up, and Baralai chose not to sugarcoat the reality, because "yes, nobody likes war, except maybe the truly bloodthirsty ones who prefer violence over peaceful negotiation, but... I'm afraid that's life."

Yuna refused to accept this bleak truth at face value, which made her determined to provide a counter-argument in the form of an animated music video titled "Age of Man" on youtube.

Baralai never expected an afternoon quite like this, but he enjoyed it nonetheless.

"Do you mind if I lie down? I'm a little tired..." Somewhere during his moment of contemplation, Yuna moved to seat herself on the foot of his bed, and Baralai feels guilty for neglecting to entertain her.

"...of course. I'm sorry, I..." He sighs, the smile weary on his face. "I didn't mean to drift off like that. I was just... thinking."

"That's okay. I don't mind you being quiet. We _did_ talk a lot..." Yuna giggles, yawning.

Taking the invitation to relax on his bed, she stretches out her body before curling her legs close to her chest. Once several moments of comfortable silence have come to pass, he realizes that she dozed off and he had been watching her. Baralai smiles a little, standing to go fetch a blanket. Pulling one from the closet, he returns to spread it over her, only to stop.

Yuna looks so adorable in her vulnerability, mouth parted in a slight smile, the red scarf draped around her neck, that he decides to capture this priceless moment on camera. Careful not to awaken her as he places the blanket on her body, he pulls out his phone and takes a picture, saving it to storage. Good thing he disabled the sound, or else she would have woken up to catch him in the act. If she ever found out, well... he could always explain himself later.

_'Yuna will understand. I think.'_

After one last fond look, he heads downstairs.

* * *

"Look. I know you don't need anyone in your hair right now. I spent the last couple of days getting everything sorted out. It's mostly notebooks. He dated them all. Now that I've got them all sorted out ― darn it! It should be 'in order,' 'in order'..." Baralai paces the living room, snapping his fingers twice to the words as he recites them out loud, before proceeding. "Now that I've got them all in order, I don't have to stay here ― no, work here. I don't have to work here. I can take some stuff home, read it, and bring it back."

Falling out of character, Baralai stops in his tracks, giving himself a moment to breathe and go over the lines in his head. Before he can resume from where he left off, he hears footsteps descend from upstairs and turns toward the entryway. Baralai smiles.

"Why, hello there, Sleeping Beauty. Have you finally risen from your eternal slumber?"

Yuna stifles a yawn, giggling a little. "I'll have you know... that I don't sleep all the time."

"I never said anything before. The fact you are defensive about it tells me people tease you for your..." Baralai trails off, searching for the right word. "...napping tendencies. Am I right?"

"...Maybe." Her smile fails to mask her amusement as his mirth remains ever present. "Are you reciting lines for a play? Sorry if I was interrupting your concentration."

"You weren't interrupting. You remind me I should be taking a break soon anyway. I haven't been able to meet with my partner lately to rehearse our scene due to conflicting schedules. Memorizing my lines is all I can do by myself..." Baralai rubs the back of his head, frustrated. "Also, my teacher told me I need to get accustomed to physical contact."

"Oh, are you playing a kiss scene?" Yuna has the decency to blush, and he retaliates quick with a cool response.

"Fortunately, no. But I have no doubt that when we go up to recite our lines in class, my teacher will make us do something incrimina― ahem, I mean, intimate. Considering the nature of our characters' relationship, I suspect flirting, slow dancing, or maybe even seducing..." All uncomfortable things he can't imagine doing with his flamboyant partner, and dreads to imagine the day where they will have to do those things. Will he be able to make it through the hour with his chastity intact, let alone his dignity?

"Sounds fun! Or, I mean, the teacher sounds fun." Yuna amends her innocent cruelty with light-hearted compassion. "If you don't mind, I would love to help with anything you need. Maybe even your phobia of human contact."

"It's not a phobia," he says, suppressing the inevitable snort. "I think it's impolite to touch someone without permission."

"That's not what Rikku tells me."

"And you are inclined to believe everything that comes out of her mouth?"

"Maybe." Yuna mellows her teasing. "We can slow dance, since it's not as bad as seducing each other, and I'm not very good at flirting..."

He arches an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? It's not as hard as it sounds. You simply talk to someone you like. At least, that's what Gippal told me... Here, why don't we try it?" Baralai steps forward and takes her hand, lifting it to place a chaste kiss on her knuckles.

"Greetings, my lady. You are looking quite fair on this fine afternoon."

She blushes, giggling behind her free hand as she attempts to articulate herself. "You sound like such an English gentleman..." Clearing her throat, she curtsies with her long skirt. "You are quite dashing yourself, Sir Baralai. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"May I bother thee with a dance?"

"Certainly."

Leaning forward to position his left hand on her waist, he sweeps her off her feet and she manages to catch herself on natural reflexes. Round and round they spin in a circle, a grand revolution of graceful movement ― until he dips her low and Yuna laughs, both collapsing onto the carpet.

"Hey, you did that on purpose!"

"You enjoyed it nonetheless," he says, and stands to offer a hand, steading Yuna onto her feet. "You are a good dancer."

"Thank you. I took ballet when I was little, but stopped when it costed too much money. Right now I'm taking Jazz dance in school."

"You, too, are an artist."

"Oh, no, I'm not an artist..."

"Of course you are. Dancing is an artform, too, just like acting and writing. Art is not only restricted to the picturesque form." Yuna becomes quiet, and Baralai wonders why she looks away out of shyness when he only complimented what deserves to be praised.

"Who..." Yuna clears her throat. "W-Who is your partner? Do you think I know her?"

"Perhaps. No, actually, I'm sure you do." Baralai sighs, crossing his arms. "It's LeBlanc ― why are you laughing?"

"N-No reason... pfft, I'm sorry, I just..." Unable to contain herself, Yuna keels over in a fit of giggles. He doesn't know whether to be embarrassed or amused. The urge to exact his revenge starts to take root again and he holds no qualms in letting it loose this time. "I-I'm trying to imagine you w-with LeBlanc and... she'd be all over the place! And, and you'll be so awkward, it's f-funny ― eek!" The moment he picks her up by the waist, she squeals in surprise and he throws her onto the couch. She sits upright, delighted by the playful gleam in his glare and moves to jump off, but Baralai captures her in a tickle attack before she can escape.

"What's so funny? What's so funny? Tell me, tell me what's so funny~."

"No, stop~ please~," Yuna says, laughing, writhing, and gasping for air, "I beg you, have mercy~." She flails in search of a pillow, and manages to chuck one at his face. Baralai picks it up, and throws it right back. Laughter bounces along with soft instruments of pillowy destruction until thunder rumbles the atmosphere and ceases their horseplay.

Silence, and then they break out into soft laughter.

* * *

They managed to sit down at one point to construct the outlines for their essays. After some hours have passed for them to complete their rough drafts and work on other assignments, they looked for fun things to do. Yuna ransacked his iTunes library upstairs, discovered to her great delight they shared similar tastes in music, and incited a silly karaoke session. Dancing also accompanied the impromptu competition, and Baralai can still feel the bruises in his calves. He should have paid more attention to the annoying corners of his bed.

But Yuna proved to be quite the formidable adversary! Baralai may have been able to hit the notes with greater accuracy and possessed the stamina to outlast her, but the power found in her voice blew his mind away as well as her extraordinary grace. He caught himself smiling more than once while going about his household duties, reliving the hours of passionate leisure. The day has been good to him so far, but the same can't be said for the weather. Sudden bright flashes of light would ignite the cloudy sky every now and again. Rainfall still pelts the rooftops and city streets without relent, and Baralai moves to draw the curtains aside.

Peering through the window, he hears the echoes of thunderclap. "It's pouring outside..."

Yuna sits up from her cozy spot on the couch and smiles. "Can we go outside? I want to watch the storm."

Didn't they have a conversation about this the other day? Baralai leans on the window seat and crosses his arms, indifferent towards her glee. "We should stay inside. It sounds dangerous."

Yuna sighs, collapsing on the armrest. Genuine disappointment can be found in those eyes full of longing. "...but it's so pretty. Just a few minutes?"

"I'm sorry, but we will have to pass. The lightning is too close."

"You said you would watch it with me..." The utter defeat in her tone makes him want to reconsider. Almost.

"Watching thunderstorms _outside_ sounds romantic in hindsight, but in reality we would be endangering ourselves. You could wind up getting struck by lightning, resulting in sure death." He puts his foot down on that matter and chuckles when hearing her sigh again. "I've been meaning to ask you... what time are you planning to leave today?"

"I told my mom seven."

"Seven? Didn't you arrive here around one o'clock?" Yuna nods, sitting upright to smooth out her skirt. Baralai sits down on the opposite end and lounges against the armrest, letting his legs relax after an hour of cleaning. Yuna spent the duration of his household chores watching television, and he caught snippets of _Game of Thrones_ on rerun while he vacuumed the living room. "Why did you stay so long, if all we agreed to do was study?"

Tearing her eyes away from the current episode, she steals a pillow for herself and smiles in that mysterious coy fashion of hers. He doesn't know whether he should be curious or suspicious. Females are strange creatures, after all. "I wanted to spend time with you. We've known each other for awhile, because we have the same friends, but... I don't think we've ever hung out together by ourselves. I guess... I wanted to get to know you more."

This confession steals his breath away and he blushes, flattered. Baralai resigns himself to listen, finding Yuna more interesting than the season finale. "You like books like I do, and enjoy having deep conversations about anything. We keep certain things private, but at the same time we're not afraid of talking about them with people we trust. We have a lot in common, but we are also very different."

"Like how I tend to be logical, and you are emotional?"

"Yeah. Don't you think it's strange that we haven't gravitated to each other sooner?"

"It might have been because we are too similar. We find ourselves more attracted to people who are our opposites. Paine and Gippal are like that for me."

"Rikku is like that for me, too," Yuna says, giggling. Baralai becomes concerned when she falls silent. "He... He was like that for me, too. Often I thought he was my sun and I was his moon. Sometimes things just... don't work out the way you want them to." Baralai has never seen Yuna let her guard down over this particular story and feels the urge to comfort her.

"Do you... want to talk about it?" When she says nothing, only fiddles with the hem of her blouse in silence, he sighs and crosses his arms. Glancing at the TV, he gets an idea. "I notice you like _Game of Thrones_."

She exhales a visible breath of relief, grateful for the change in topic.

"Yes. It's really in-depth and full of dynamic characters. My family loves watching it."

"Out of everyone in the show, who do you think you resemble more?"

"Hmm. I don't know. I don't think I belong in that kind of world. _Game of Thrones_ would eat me alive."

"True," he says, amused, and stares at Yuna in thought, "However, to be honest... I can see a little bit of Daenerys in you."

"The dragon princess? Really?"

"Yes. You both have experienced similar hardships in the name of love. You were a girl very much in love with someone who made you very happy. Until unforeseen circumstances brought the death of your relationship, that is. But you see, Daenerys grows as a character despite those hardships. No, it is _because_ of her marriage to Khal Drogo and the khalasar lifestyle that she has become an independent young woman who still harbors kindness and compassion in her heart. I can see that in you."

"I... I don't know what to say."

"I do not think it's too cynical to say that things happen, whether or not you want them to. Regardless of the reasons why your relationship came to an end, you should be able to look back on those days and appreciate them. Don't mourn over your memories ― allow them to make you stronger. You were happy with him for however long you two were together. I doubt you could have asked for more, considering the fact it could have been worse, right?"

Yuna stares, perhaps surprised or impressed by the weight of his words. _'Did the words sink in at all, or have I said too much?'_ Baralai considers the possibility she might not have liked what she heard; after all, she never asked him about what he thought of her teenage love life. "...but I understand that this kind of thinking is hard to accept. I don't know how it feels to fall in love, so I am in no position to talk. I just hope that what I said helped you in any way."

"...yeah." She nods, managing a meek smile. "It does, kind of." Pulling her legs up close, she hugs her knees and rests her head on them. "You seem to know exactly what you're talking about. I wish I can be more like you, decisive and confident."

"Ah, it's true that I do not like talking about things I don't understand. However, I'm afraid that I am too logical for matters of the heart. You would know what to do better than me."

"Don't sell yourself short. Your words make a lot of sense. Love usually doesn't make sense, and doesn't have to make sense, but... you make me want to believe love _can _make sense." Baralai does not look away when he spies the beginnings of a real smile on her lovelorn face, does not know why he cannot bring himself to look away, spellbound by the soft intensity in her glistening eyes.

"Thank you, for being so understanding."

He smiles. "You're welcome."


	3. Chapter 3 - Conflict

_(A/N): Most of the content (such as the first scene and third) had been originally co-written with Sorrow has a Human Heart a year or two ago, but we never managed to complete them. I've been re-reading through a various amount of WIPs, hoping to rewrite them into a full-fledged story ― like this one. I hope they flow well._

_Chapter 4 shall be on its way this week! :3_

* * *

Chapter 3 - Conflict

_"When introverts are in conflict with each other... it may require a map in order to follow all the silences, nonverbal cues and passive-aggressive behaviors!"_

_― Adam S. McHugh_

* * *

_'We expect strong storms to continue through the area thru midnight. Right now, a severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for the following counties, as you can see at the bottom of the screen. These storms have a history of producing deadly hail, frequent lightning, and winds in excess of 55 MPH. There is also an associated risk of tornadic activity―'_

"...We may have to move to the basement," Baralai says, turning off the television and putting down the remote. Yuna jumps when thunder booms above. The lights have not stopped flickering for the past five minutes, which makes them all the more nervous as time goes by.

"Do you have candles in case of a blackout?"

"There should be some in the downstairs closet. I'll go get the matches." Moving to the kitchen, Baralai looks through the drawers and cabinets. "Where are they...? I hope Nooj didn't leave them out on the grill..." He hears Yuna shuffling around in the background, digging through odds and ends of plastic wrapped stuff and bags full of miscellaneous items.

"Let's see... no... not that... that's decorations... no, ah-hah! Candles. I found them!"

Once he discovers where the matches were, Baralai sighs beneath the rain and ducks back inside the house._ 'Really, Nooj, be less negligent of other's belongings. Or else I may end up murdering someone next time. Preferably you.'_

Baralai walks into the living room, lighting the match in hand, and leaps out of his skin when a large crash of thunder resounds. Darkness swathes the whole house, and the match and flame drop to light its ominous descent. He hears several other things fall to the ground somewhere nearby along with Yuna's nervous voice, "Oh no... where are they... Ooooh..." and wants to feel concerned, but can't bring himself to focus right now, not when the house threatens to burn itself. He tries to stomp out the flame before the carpet catches fire, but missteps, hitting something else underfoot.

"Ow! Don't put that out..."

"My goodness, are you alright?" He panics and drops to his knees, searching for her. "I'm sorry, I did not mean t―ow!" His head collides into hers and they back away from each other, moaning in pain and nursing their respective bumps. Soft laughter breaks the awkward silence. Baralai reaches for her again, much more slow and careful this time, and brushes her arm. Moving to kneel in front of her, he gropes his way down to her hands. "Which finger is it?"

Yuna holds up her left thumb and starts patting around for the runaway candles. "This one. Maybe... I should get up first."

"Wait, wait. Let's find the candles first. We should light them so we can see where we are going." Baralai grabs the match, lifts it to broaden his narrow line of vision, and feels something solid bump his knee. "Ah! Found one, and another. Here."

"Quick, grab it before it gets away!" Yuna giggles, popping her sore finger into her mouth. Placing two of the candles upright, he lights them both and hands one over for Yuna to hold.

"Careful."

"Thank you."

Yuna scoots closer to receive it, admiring its warm glow until she notices something odd.

"Hey, these candles are pink. They're not emergency issue."

"Those were the ones that were on sale, so my mother decided to buy them for the emergency kit." Baralai doesn't find this quite as amusing as she does.

"Well, at least they work."

"I was worried I would need to find a friend to spend the night with when she brought them home. But, it was a family dinner as usual, minus the candles."

"Maybe your mom wanted to make the night more romantic and exciting." Candlelight accentuates her dreamy smile, highlighting her natural beauty. Baralai blushes when her words conjure a mental image most unbidden.

"Probably. I don't think they would want their romance to stop at food, though."

"...Oh. Um." Yuna pokes at the flame, speechless, face redder than any apple he has ever laid eyes on, and Baralai knows this because he has eaten a lot of them. _'Wait, did I just ― No! No. I need to stop this ― this, argh! whatever this is! Gippal thinking? Yes, Gippal thinking ― I need to stop thinking altogether!'_

Knocking at the door startles the two teenagers. _'When did we start leaning into each other?'_ Spooked by their proximity, Baralai stumbles back and Yuna does the same not a moment too soon. He cannot hear the storm nor the words coming out of Yuna's mouth over the blood pumping in his ears. A tree branch flings itself against the window as the vicious wind howls outside, something he should feel concerned about, but can't find the presence of mind to acknowledge.

"Baralai! Anybody home? Let me in!"

"What is Paine doing out in this?" Yuna says, and Baralai blinks. Oh. Paine. He sighs and collapses back onto the floor, staring up at the dark ceiling. Has she gone crazy or did she luck out with the sudden turn of weather? Baralai suspects it may be a combination of both.

"Better let her in before she gets hurt."

Yuna beats him to the punch, eager to come to the rescue, and skips over to fling the door open. Standing on the porch, a very wind-blown, drenched, and disgruntled Paine glares at the last person she expected to see in Baralai's house. "Hi, Paine. Oh no, you're soaking wet! Come in quick."

Before she can register Yuna's concern, Paine takes note of the apparent atmosphere. Candles. Pink candles, lit near the sofa, where the pillows have been shifted. "Am I interrupting something?"

Her foul mood plummets further, and he can tell from the dramatic shift in tone. Baralai sighs, and mentally prepares himself. Standing to face her, he straightens his collar and shirt. "Yes. It's called a power outage. Please, calm down."

"And those are supposed to be 'emergency candles'? Pink is a bit too romantic, don't you think?" Baralai tries to suppress any memory of what happened mere moments ago, doing his utmost to keep his face cool, and prays to God Paine can't see much in the dim lighting.

"I suppose, if there were options, but those were the only ones my parents had the inclination to buy. I apologize for offending your tastes." Tired of this treatment, of her paranoid accusations and jealousy, Baralai decides that he has had enough. If she wants to be judgemental about things, he might as well play into it a little. Give her what she wants to see.

He motions Yuna to sit beside him and she takes the invitation, ignorant of his designs and Paine's anger.

"Um, why were you outside, Paine? Didn't you see the news?" Yuna says, confused by the hostility that hangs heavy in the air. Baralai wraps an arm around her to pull her close, and Paine's glare intensifies. Yuna clears her throat, uncomfortable.

"No, actually, I didn't. When I left my house, it was sunshine and lollipops. By the time I got here, it became Hurricane Katrina. And all I wanted was to talk with my _date_ for the weekend..." Paine says, crouching down on the floor. "Unless he's preoccupied." He scowls, enraged by the fact she dares to hit one of his pet peeves ― talking about him as though he were elsewhere.

"Oh. It did get cloudy awfully fast... Sorry we left you waiting outside in the cold. If you want to talk to Baralai, you can do so right now. Unless, you don't want me to be present...?" Any semblance of polite talk dwindles into silence when Baralai continues to give Paine the evil eye and she likewise gives him the cold shoulder.

"That's not necessary." Baralai interrupts before Paine can get another word in edgewise. "As I recall, before the storm, you and I were already making arrangements to work on our writing assignment this weekend, remember?" The truth works in his favor, serving as a perfect jab to Paine's ego.

"That's true... but we should reschedule, since this date is important, right?"

"Not important enough that I was told about it before right now."

Yuna wants to shrink into herself and hide, if that would stop Paine from glaring daggers into her soul. "I don't know why you're acting this way, but... you are hurting Paine's feelings, Baralai."

"Not intentionally." He lies through his teeth because he refuses to admit fault, and turns toward Paine in order to reflect her rage. "If you want to do something, you should tell me first. Don't assume I can simply wipe my schedule clear at your slightest whim."

"You don't know Baralai at all, do you? He considers school way more important than his personal life. Hell, even his love life. How boring." Paine returns the glare tenfold, narrowing her ruby eyes into lethal slits. That makes him snap, however quiet and decisive the statement comes.

"And above that, I also use it to keep selfish would-be girlfriends out! We make these decisions together, or they don't get made. Choose."

"Er, maybe I should leave...?" Yuna says, moving to stand, yet Baralai's swift grip on her knee staves her impulse to bail at bay.

"You have no reason to. Don't kid yourself."

"Hmph. I see you've made a decision without me. It's gonna be like that, huh? Fine. _I'm_ leaving."

"For the best, for now." How ballsy of her, to indict him of the very thing she had been doing to him for the past couple weeks. Telling him when and where they are going, and what they will be doing, expecting him to just drop everything he already had on his plate. This time proves no different; more blunt and paranoid accusations.

Yuna watches, horrified as Paine stalks out the house and into the roaring rainstorm. "You're just going to let her leave like that? What if she didn't drive here? It's dangerous! You said so yourself! You have to chase after her!"

In the face of Baralai's dark temper, Yuna stands as the voice of reason; he has no choice but to chase after her.

* * *

"Don't follow me," Paine says, shouting over the howling wind.

Baralai knows she intends to seek sanctuary with Nooj, and follows her there despite the ten-minute walk. He doesn't want Paine to fend for herself regardless of what his inner teenager says. Better that, or face Yuna's disappointment.

"I know, but I want to make sure you're safe."

"What, did Yuna tell you to come after me? I can't imagine you doing it over your stupid pride."

"What are you talking about?" He scowls, offended. "I'm not that insensitive. Paine, will you slow down?" When they reach the front yard, Baralai lunges forward to grasp her shoulder and she slaps his hand away.

Baralai takes a step back, stricken by hurt.

"I'm getting sick and tired of you! You never understand a girl's feelings, do you? Oh, wait, does that surprise you? I'm a girl, too, if you haven't noticed. Not just your best friend. Why don't you ever..." Halfway through, Paine gives up and stomps up the steps, slamming the door behind her when Nooj answered.

Baralai watches her go, bewildered. What did he ever do to cross her heart?

* * *

He returns home, frustrated and exhausted. Grabbing a towel from the closet, Baralai rubs his head dry and follows the sound of conversation, combing his mussed and damp hair straight. It surprises him to see who sits in the living room with Yuna.

"Oh, Grandmother. You're awake."

Yuna rises from her seat on the couch beside the elderly woman, and smiles. "Baralai, you're back. Your grandmother was just telling me this really fun story. She told me we clashed in another life, and I defeated her in an epic battle that determined the fate of the world. You never told me she shared my name. Yunalesca. It's a very pretty name."

His laugh sounds tired in its attempt to seem amused. "That's nice. Grandmother Yunalesca loves telling stories. Though I thought she didn't like people..." He stares in her direction and scowls at her scant attire, but she appears not to notice, sipping her cup of tea. Yunalesca's long and ankle-length hair almost glows gold in the candlelight, covering the majority of her naked skin save for the transparent white dress.

"Grandmother, what have I told you about dressing properly? You will catch a cold. Here. Let me grab a blanket for you." Yunalesca resigns herself to his care, and this silence and sudden complacency of hers makes him suspicious. Since when does she not make a big deal over his meddling?

"Did Paine return home safely?" Yuna says.

He sighs, weary. "Yes, I saw to that."

"She's still angry, isn't she? What was she angry about?"

"To be honest, I don't want to think about it. Usually I try to understand her, but right now I'm too angry to bother being sympathetic."

"You can't leave your friendship like this..." Yuna frowns, gazing at the space where Paine had crouched minutes before, and sulks at the wet leaves and stones that litter the floor. He makes a mental note to clean the carpet later.

"I don't intend to. But, neither can I let her keep dictating my every move. If she still wants to be friends, we can try, of course." Again, he sighs _― _this time with a smile. Does Yuna ever reach a point where being around someone becomes unbearable? Probably not. But then, that's one of her finer points, and he admires her for it.

"I'm sure you and Paine have a chance to be together." Yuna walks over to lock the door, something Baralai forgot to do and feels grateful for the courtesy. Withdrawing the key from the deadbolt, she wonders aloud at its strange design. "Why do you need to lock the house on both sides of the door?"

"It's for Grandmother," Baralai says, receiving the key and pocketing it. "She doesn't have anything debilitating like Alzheimer's, but she does have her independent moments. She used to leave the house without telling me, and the police had to bring her back every time for indecent exposure. They threatened to put her into a retirement home if my parents did not take responsibility. Therefore, my parents had the deadbolt installed."

"You live with Yunalesca by yourself? Where are your parents?"

"They work out of state most of the time. They only visit during vacations." Baralai chooses not to elaborate further and hopes Yuna would just leave it at that. "Now if you will excuse me, I wish to grab a drink." Retreating into the kitchen, he fills a glass with water and sits down at the dining table. _'I just want this day to end, but I can't ignore Yuna's company until she leaves. It would be rude of me otherwise. After all, she did take off an entire day to be with me.'_

Baralai lets his mind wander, taking the occasional sip, and almost chokes in his gulp when Yuna startles him by the call of his name. He turns to see Yuna enter the kitchen, wringing her hands. "Um, about Paine..."

Does she still want to talk about this? Then again, he can't avoid it forever. He must take action to confront Paine someday, sometime soon. Maybe confiding in someone will help instead of dwelling in the black hole of his thoughts. "Yes?"

"Maybe you two aren't romantically compatible."

"Honestly? I seriously doubt it. It was better when she was just another one of the guys. I never expected this kind of Jekyl and Hyde act when we decided to go on a date or two..."

"You like Paine, right? You can't say you didn't have fun times together." Reluctant to deny the truth, he nods. Yuna smiles in her attempt to cheer him up. "I was thinking... they may have been short-lived, but you should hold onto whatever happy memories you do have with her and cherish them. After all, you two will still be friends. Right?"

Her words echo his own, and that makes him smile at the irony. How can he dismiss her optimism without sounding like a hypocrite? "...As I said, we will try, but I won't fake anything. Not for anyone. If she still wants to be friends, it will be just as much her responsibility to heal the rift." He surprises himself with the level of bitterness that has found its way into his tone. But, he grows weary of it. It shouldn't all rest on him; the fact they share the same circle of friends only complicates matters.

Her warm and knowing smile catches him off guard. "You should be with someone who makes you happy."

"Difficult to say who that might be," Baralai says, skeptical, and Yuna frowns in confusion.

"Don't say that. Is there anybody who you enjoy spending time with? Someone who accepts you for who you are?"

"You make it sound so simple. Do you know of anyone like that?"

A little uncertain at the receiving end of these questions, Yuna averts her eyes to the ground, gazing at the lazy candlelight. "I guess you don't like Paine. There is Rikku, but she's dating Gippal. You get along with Lucil and Elma. There's LeBlanc, too, but you've told me she annoys you... You know, there are a lot of girls, even ones you haven't gotten the chance to meet, yet."

"Lucil and Elma are too much like sisters. Besides..." Baralai halts, hesitant to voice the rest. "Lucil and I have dated before."

Yuna's squeal of delight startles him, and he gasps when she jumps forward to peer into his eyes. "Really? So the rumors were true! Oops, I'm sorry." Blushing, she steps back. "I didn't mean to scare you like that. It's just... Gippal kept trying to tell people you were, um, gay, and Rikku refused to believe it, and so she made sure to watch you like a hawk every time you were around girls and... I think I should stop talking now. I'm embarrassing myself."

"...I don't think I have never seen you this excited before."

"It's the romantic in me," Yuna says, bashful.

He chuckles, and catches himself._ 'Wait, I'm supposed to be angry. I have to start thinking about how I should act around Paine now...'_

Heaving a heavy sigh, he lays his head down on his folded arms. He sits there in silence, barricading his thoughts and emotions, until Yuna startles him by placing her hands on his shoulder. He sits up, bewildered.

"What are you doing?"

"I, um, if it's alright with you... I thought you kind of look like you're in need of a massage," she says, scared of rejection. He leans back on the chair, contemplating this awkward request. It makes him uncomfortable when people touch him, but he doesn't want to come across as rude. Besides, he can't say he doesn't like it if he never experienced it.

"You can go ahead, if you like."

"Okay. How do you like me to do it?"

"I don't know. Try anything, and see if I like it."

She hums in concentration, thinking, and he flinches when her thumbs press down in firm, slow, repetitive circular motions. The pressure feels strange, neither pleasant or unpleasant. The lingering effect tingles in his neck and he shivers, self-conscious. "Wow, you're very stiff." Yuna says.

"I've been told." He chokes out the chuckle when she hits a tight knot, and he starts fidgeting.

"I can stop if you don't like it."

"No, no... I... I think I need this." He knows Yuna doubts him when he can't bring himself to say a single sentence without faltering, and he sighs. "I sit and study at my desk more hours than I sleep everyday. It's my fault for not taking better care of myself. I need to learn how to relax. Like... like now."

She says nothing and starts to hum again, resuming her ministrations. Maybe he will feel more comfortable if he lays his head back down, and so he does. His shoulders still clench up and he locks his jaw at certain intervals, trying to breathe through his nose, and even grips his arms when a sudden jolt of heat resonates beneath his skin wherever her fingers knead, but he endures it. He tolerates these foreign and vulnerable sensations to distract himself from thoughts of Paine and just relationships in general.

"I called my mom while you were out. She said she'll pick me up early since the weather's acting up. She told me she'll be here in twenty minutes."

He doesn't remember giving her a reply, but for some reason feels that he did.


	4. Chapter 4 - Grief

_(A/N): I dedicate this chapter to everyone following this story, especially Love-RiniBell-Love and Mandy I Am. Thank you for your continued and silent support. :3_

* * *

Chapter 4 - Grief

"_I need someone who believes that the sun will rise again, but does not fear my darkness. Someone who can point out the rocks in my way without making me feel like a child by carrying me. Someone who can stand in thunder and watch the lightning, and believe in a rainbow." _

― _Fr. Joe Mahoney_

* * *

Yuna shakes Baralia awake, and he sits up startled. '_Did I doze off?'_

"I... I'm sorry to bother you with this, but..." Peeling his face off his sleeve, he covers his yawn behind his hand and rubs the feeling back into his face. "It's been over half an hour, and my mom's not here, yet. I've tried calling her, but she won't answer. I called my dad and he tried calling her and_―_."

He puts a hand out to interrupt her, blinking the grogginess out of his eyes. "I need to ask you to calm down. You're talking too fast for me to properly digest what you are saying."

"My mom, she's... it's taking her awhile to get here, and she won't answer my calls."

"She's probably driving. That's why she cannot answer the phone."

"But it took us ten minutes to drive here."

"It's still raining, isn't it? She has to force herself to drive slower."

Baralai can see her calm down a little bit with each logical response in spite of the darkness. He must replan a dinner that doesn't require electrical appliances. Baralai stands and trudges over to the refrigerator, considering his options. '_Maybe Grandmother wouldn't mind a cold egg sandwich with smoked salmon or maybe black peppered ham...'_

"Would you like something to eat? I can understand why you are worried. While you wait, I'll prepare you something."

"I... I would. Thank you." On cue, her stomach rumbles, and she blushes.

"If you were hungry, why didn't you tell me?" He smiles, amused. "I feel like a terrible host."

"You fell asleep. You looked like you really needed to take a nap."

"Thank you. My body oddly feels better."

"I'm glad."

Baralai spent ten minutes making sandwiches for the three of them. Nothing happened. No phone call, no knocks on the door. They proceed to the living room and eat a simple, yet fulfilling meal at the couch with Yunalesca in the candlelight. Baralai has to keep swatting her hand away every time Yunalesca tries to pilfer extra lettuce from her great-grandson's sandwich, and Yuna giggles.

"Will you stop, please? I gave you five layers of lettuce. If you want another sandwich, just ask me."

"Your lettuce keeps falling off. Once it lands on the plate, I consider it a castaway."

"It's not a castaway. I will eat it eventually. Stop rushing me."

"Here. You can have some of mine," Yuna says, trying to alleviate the situation.

"I'd rather you not. I don't mean to offend you, but I don't want you two sharing germs."

Yuna pouts. "My family shares food all the time."

"But you're not family." A cell phone rings and Baralai recognizes the "We Are Family" ringtone. He smiles, smug, and Yuna grins in kind. "I believe that is your phone."

"Our argument isn't over."

"Sure it isn't_―_ Grandmother! That's mine."

Yunalesca manages to pilfer some lettuce the moment he looks away, and he glares at her. In the middle of their argument, one they have repeated since the dawn of time, Yuna returns to the living room. He can perceive her distress right away and stands up, worried.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"My Dad called, and..." Yuna stops, speechless, on the verge of tears. "He told me mom got into a car accident! The hospital... the hospital called him, and he's already there, and and..." Glancing at the object in her hands, she sniffles. "D-Daddy wants to talk to you."

"Me? Okay." He takes the phone and presses it to his ear, unable to imagine for what reason Yuna's father would want to talk to him. "Hello? This is Baralai speaking."

_"Son, I need you to listen to me real carefully. Do exactly as I tell you."_

"You have my full attention."

_"I told her to stay with you for the night." _Before Baralai can protest, he continues. "_I don't want to repeat what happened to my wife, but I know this is also an uncomfortable request."_

"I..." He gulps, conflicted. There are too many things wrong with this picture _―_ a girl sleeping over at a boy's house, a father consenting to this kind of inappropriate setting, a mother who probably has no say in the matter _―_ but Baralai must swallow his pride and accept it. If he lets Yuna leave now in this storm, he would be endangering her own life. "I understand. I give you my heartfelt sympathies for your wife. My parents are out of town doing business, but my grandmother surely won't mind Yuna sleeping over. I assure you I won't do anything inappropriate to your daughter."

_"I'm choosing to trust you. Prove to me that I made the right choice."_

"Yes, sir."

_"Also, I must warn you... Keep an eye on Yuna, and don't let her leave your sight. When my daughter is in distress, she will become stubborn and no amount of reasoning will sway her. The first thing Yuna will do is leave the house and try to reach the hospital."_

_'Wait, what?'_ Baralai's eyes widen and he turns around to find Yuna nowhere in sight. He sees the front door open, and wonders how did she take the keys without him noticing. How did he even miss the howling of the rainstorm, being as loud and violent as it is?

"Why did you not find the sense to tell me that first?!" Shoving the phone in his pocket, he runs outside and looks around. Baralai spots her white blouse and fluttering blue skirt about two blocks out, and he sprints after her. "The nerve of that girl!"

He closes the distance at startling speed, and doesn't give Yuna the chance to react when he tackles her down. She thrashes in his arms without hesitation, and he manages to clamp her tight into his suffocating embrace. Baralai throws her over his shoulder, ignoring the punches on his backside that will no doubt bruise come the morning.

Fighting against the pelting rain that blinds him and the arctic whip of the wind that bites on his skin, Baralai stalks back to his house. Sheer anger motivates him to brave the storm and block out her shouts of ire. Once they return, he throws her on the floor and shuts the door behind him, holds her back by force as she lunges for the exit, and locks the door from the inside with his house key. Never had he felt more grateful of the deadbolt.

"I can't believe you!"

Yuna responds by shoving him, sobbing and wailing and finally he can longer reign in his patience and he _slaps her_. This shuts her up, maybe because he hit her so hard she falls to the floor and he does not apologize, not while he can't think straight. Baralai stoops to grip her shoulders and shakes her.

"What were you _thinking_? Are you trying to kill yourself? Are you trying to make everyone worry about you? Anything could have happened to you, and I would be responsible! This is _not _the time to be acting irrationally! Do you understand? Do you understand me?"

He stops talking, stops glaring and stops shaking her, weariness softening his frightening features when he sees Yuna continue to cry silent tears. She doesn't bother wiping her face when she nods, her beautiful blue green eyes dull with cold fear and grief. Baralai sighs, scared of the consequences of his actions, scared of the thought what would have happened to her had he not caught her in time.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack? You really made me worry..." Tired of speaking and thinking altogether, he pulls her into his arms, but she does not reciprocate the gesture. He might as well have been hugging a rag doll.

"I... I hate you... why did you stop me? I want to see her..." It hurts to hear her say that, after all he has done for her, but he resolves to be strong. Even if the sound of her broken sobs tears him apart.

* * *

Baralai sent Yuna and his grandmother upstairs so Yuna can be given a spare set of dry clothes. Downstairs, he busies himself with lighting more candles around the house, which gives him plenty of time for him to simmer down. In the meantime, Yunalesca watches Yuna towel dry her hair after she stripped from her wet clothes to only her underwear. When Yuna removes the towel from her face, Yunalesca can see the bruise forming in the dim lighting. The depth of that discoloration will last a week.

Yunalesca chose an alpaca tan blouse for Yuna to wear over a periwinkle yellow sundress, and sees her frown at the reflection of such young, yet downcast beauty reflected in the mirror. She worries that this girl will come to resent her great-grandson for trying to show he cared. A shame his parents are never around to teach him how to interact with people, or maybe this happened for the better.

"He did not mean to hurt you, my dear," Yunalesca says.

"But he did. I never thought..." Yuna trails off, emotion stuck in her throat. "I-I never took him for a violent person..."

"He's not normally violent, but he does hide a dark temper. No one is perfect. Do not hold it against him. He tries so hard..."

"Do you think he's..." Sniff. "...b-blaming himself right now?"

"Yes. He may be strict with others, but he's most harsh on himself. He won't ask for forgiveness, since he feels at fault for hurting you and involving your mother in that accident."

"That... That's not true! You can't know that. Why would he ever think_―_."

"It is _because_ I am his family that I know full well the way he thinks."

Yuna sniffles and wipes her eyes, gulping down her sadness. "...do you think school will be canceled tomorrow? You know, because of the storm?"

"Perhaps, if the storm persists passed morning."

"Baralai wouldn't like that, would he?"

"No, he wouldn't." And they both laugh.

* * *

When Yuna comes back downstairs, Baralai looks up only to watch in horror as she approaches and her face becomes visible in the soft candlelight. The bruise on her left cheek festers the guilt and shame in his heart, and his eyes linger for too long before he finally manages to look away. Baralai returns to wrapping the sandwiches in saran plastic for lunch tomorrow if not to distract himself from what he just saw. He feels her hand rest on his own, pulling his attention away from the task.

They lock eyes where Yuna implores reconsideration, yet Baralai does not budge.

"I want to go home. I want to see my mom."

He sighs. How many times will he have to say no? He might need to start getting creative.

"You will see her soon. She's at the hospital, and you should let her rest with the thought that you are safe."

"But my father―."

"Is at the hospital. He called you from there, didn't he? He's safe, too, and looking after your mother. In the meantime, try your best to be calm."

"Please..." she whispers, and he sighs again. "I want to go stay with them."

"Your father specifically told me to keep you here until the weather lets up. Don't be irrational. We will be leaving first thing in the morning, and that's final." Yuna glares, tightening her vice grip on his hand; Baralai doesn't even flinch, glaring in kind. Angry tears prickle at the corners, and she averts her eyes from his resolute gaze.

Suspending food for the moment, he shifts his hand to clasp hers, pulling it close to him even though she resists. "Look at me. Look at me, Yuna." Baralai forces her to face him, holding her face, so Yuna won't be able to look away. "You have to be strong. This won't be the last time something like this will happen. You need to accept that possibility, so you must be strong. You can cry all you want, and throw tantrums all you want, and scream all you want, but don't you dare think I'm not here for you. I'm not your enemy, Yuna. I'm your friend. Your father put his trust in me, a boy he doesn't even know, to take care of you. He'd rather risk that, than have you be exposed to the storm outside. Respect that he has your best interests at heart, and please try to be strong."

The candlelight makes her grief-stricken face glow in the dark. He feels the tears run over his hands, feels the quivering of her cheeks in his palms, and lowers his voice to sound less firm. "Will you do that for me?" Without a word, she gives a shaky nod. "Will you do that for me? Thank you." Baralai uses his sleeves to wipe the tears, not bothering to acknowledge the fact snot will stain the cloth. He can always change his sweater later.

Yuna drops the stubborn act when he pulls her into his arms, sensitive to the point where more tears rise from her heart like a waterfall of pure emotion. Feeling her bawl on his shoulder, Baralai tightens his hold around her and tucks her head beneath his cheek. He proceeds to speak over the her noises of distress, saying whatever comes to mind to soothe her. "Are you hungry? I will finish making dinner, so you can relax with food to eat. I'll fix you something warm to drink, maybe hot cocoa. I remember seeing hot cocoa in the pantry. Nothing tastes better than hot chocolate with marshmallows on a rainy day. I can light another fire when the other dies down, and we can have Grandmother tell you more stories by the fireplace. How does that sound?"

* * *

The electricity has yet to come back on, and Baralai knows Yuna won't be able to sleep in an unfamiliar house wreathed in pitch darkness. And so he brings his extra blankets and pillows from the upstairs closet to the living room, placing some of them on the couch for her. He decides to sleep downstairs with her to keep guard in case she ever considers repeating the same fiasco from earlier, and also to give her company even if she may not want it.

They have a civil disagreement over the sleeping arrangements, however; Yuna doesn't want to sleep on the couch if it means Baralai will have to sleep on the floor. It goes without saying why they refuse to sleep in the same room, let alone the same bed. Baralai sighs on his spot on the floor as Yuna prepares her space next to him in the dark.

"Will you really be able to sleep on the floor? It's not as comfortable as the couch..."

"I don't think... I'll be able to sleep regardless." He hums his agreement, hearing her settle down beneath the blanket in complete silence. They don't say anything else, not even goodnight, for such a simple sentiment rings hollow in the silence of grief. Baralai finds it impossible to sleep with the thoughts running through his head, of her mother's current condition, of Yuna's current emotional state, of how small and immature his problems seem in comparison to a friend's anguish.

Baralai turns on his side, straining his eyes to make out Yuna's silhouette in the dark. She does not move, and he can't tell whether she fell asleep or simply waits for him to fall asleep first, so she can cry without him aware.

He slows his breathing, pretending to be asleep for several moments, and true to his expectations she starts to emit quiet sobs. _'What should I do? I don't know what to do...'_ If he were in her shoes, what would he want? To be alone or to be consoled? His pride would say 'to be alone,' but his heart would say otherwise.

"Yuna." She halts in her tears right away, stifling the gasp of surprise. "Do you want me to hold you? Would you feel better if I did that?" Today has taught him Yuna can be stubborn beyond reasoning, but when it comes to matters of the heart she looks willing to listen. If he chose to communicate through affection instead of logic, would she be able to understand his true intentions?

Baralai tries again, this time with a little more aggression. "Let me hold you. I won't do anything inappropri―." Her sudden acquiescence startles him when she turns around to scoot closer to him. He can feel the heat of her blush even in her somber state, but he casts away his embarrassment to accommodate Yuna's need for comfort. Pulling her in by the waist, Baralai uses the arm that pillows Yuna's head to tuck her below his chin. He pulls the bangs out of her eyes so he can see her face, unmindful of the tears that soak his shirt.

"You emotional creature... May I ask what you're crying for? The worst has come to pass. Your mother is alive, and you are safe. Why do you cry?"

"I-It breaks my h-heart... to imagine what my mom w-went through... during that crash..." Yuna sniffles, rubbing her bloodshot eyes. "...sh-she probably thought she was going to die..."

He envies the depth of her love, marvels at the capacity of her selfless and compassionate heart, and strokes her cheek to confirm the most glorious girl exists. So soft, and warm, and real ― a human being who possesses such innocence and glory, who flinches at his contact and he recalls why. She doesn't deserve to feel pain. Ever.

"I'm sorry I hit you. I..." Baralai forces himself to gulp down the sugar-coated lie. She deserves the truth, not deception. "I don't regret the act itself, but I do regret hurting you."

"I-It's... it's okay..." Blinking back the tears to no avail, she decides to hold his hand there to prove her actions match her words. "I understand... w-why you did it... still... you... y-you really scared me...! I-I never felt so fr-fr-frightened!"

Never had he felt the urge to cry more powerfully than in this moment, but he somehow manages to suppress it. "I don't expect you to forgive me."

"I do," she says, incoherent, and she speaks again, a little louder and with confidence. "I do. Of course, I do. I forgive you." Yuna sniffs, clearing her throat. "I-I... I'm sorry... for being difficult... and saying... 'I hate you'..."

He laughs, because he finds it unfair she would feel the need to apologize when he has done far worse to her, yet feels too selfish to deny the apology.

"I understand that you said it at the heat of the moment. Do not worry about it."

"...we've both done terrible things to each other..."

"Yeah." For a moment, their talk dwindles into awkward silence. He usually likes the silence, but in the absence of words he believes Yuna needs more, more comfort and emotional support ― something more encouraging than the exchange of apologies for damage done and dealt towards each other.

"Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay awhile..." He feels the trembling of her smile, hears her choke in the garble of her giggle, and knows she recognizes the lyrics. They sang to _Maroon 5_ in his room mere hours before the incident, a time so peaceful it feels faraway. "And she will be loved, and she will be loved... and she will be loved..." Embarrassed by this point, he stops and waits for the sound of her calm.

"Oh, you... what am I supposed to do...? You're so... nice..."

He hums his amusement, and allows sleep to claim him at long last.


	5. Chapter 5 - Relief

_(A/N): Thank you for the review, Mandy I Am, and thank you for following along, evilien! I appreciate the support. :3_

_This is the end of the first arc! Onwards to high school drama and teenage shenanigans!_

* * *

Chapter 5 - Relief

_"I always felt that the great high privilege, relief and comfort of friendship was that one had to explain nothing."_

_~ Katherine Mansfield_

* * *

His internal alarm clock wakes him up at five o'clock in the morning. Or it should have been five, but Baralai can't tell in the darkness. It startles him to wake up to the sight of a girl sleeping in his arms, until it all comes back to him: Yuna slept over to wait out the storm. In the still quiet, he can hear his own breathing, which means the storm must have passed in the wee hours of the morning. Disentangling himself from her curled body, Baralai yawns. Sleeping on the floor doesn't feel as bad as he thought it would. Sleeping in close proximity with another, however, felt a little strange.

Moving to get up and start the day, Baralai collapses back onto the floor when her arms tighten around his torso. Stunned, he rakes his hair out of his face. The beating of his heart increases tenfold, but lessens a little when he notices she still sleeps. "Oh, my heart, why art thou beat so fast...?"

Prying her grip from his shirt, he sits upright and sighs. The weekend has come and gone, and now he must get ready for school regardless of what his body says.

After going upstairs to brush his teeth and wash his face, Baralai puts on his sweats for his morning jog, snacking on an apple downstairs, before going outside. He enjoys breathing in the chilly air as he runs laps around the neighborhood, watching rainwater drip down from wet tree branches into rivulets, which stream down the sidewalk's edge into street gutters. Stripped leaves and torn twigs litter the front yards and rooftops of houses all around, and Baralai deems the damage done to be minimal, before pushing himself on the last lap to return home. Slowing his jog to a walk, Baralai enters his house and locks the door behind him. Before he can take a breather, he hears the sound of footsteps approach.

"You went out for a run? I was wondering where you were..."

Baralai takes a deep breath and looks up, hands on his hips, turning to face Yuna who stands by the entryway. He manages a smile, relieved to see she possesses the energy to return it. "I apologize. I did not want to wake you."

"I was worried."

"Hm? About what?"

"It surprised me when I didn't see you after I woke up. For a moment, I didn't know where I was, but then it all came flooding back to me."

"Oh." Unsure of what to make of this statement, Baralai sighs and stands straighter, dropping his arms. "I'm sorry if I startled you. Do you mind waiting for me as I go shower and change? I will try not to be long."

Baralai fails to stifle the gasp of surprise when he steps closer and sees her face. Yuna places a hand over the bruise, self-conscious. Unable to bear the shame, he looks away and busies himself with removing his sneakers. "...You might... want to put makeup on that. It will attract attention otherwise, and people will start to talk."

"I-I know. I have some foundation at my house. I'll be sure to sneak in without anyone noticing."

He nods, heart full of remorse and sorrow. Baralai doubts he will ever live this down.

* * *

Baralai shaves his face after taking a ten minute shower because he hates the scruff that grows in the morning, and smoothes a hand over his dark-skinned cheeks. He hums in satisfaction and washes his face, slipping on a pair of straight-cut trousers, and then a mint blue sleeveless sweater over the white polo shirt, before exiting the bathroom straight into his room. Yuna sits at the edge of his bed, watching him tack on some cologne in front of the vanity mirror. After combing his hair and fastening his wristwatch, Baralai takes a moment to admire his reflection.

Every morning after he wakes up and every night before he goes to sleep, he likes to see how the day has affected him. He does this every day, so he can count the things that he likes about himself, building his self-esteem. He likes the color of his almond-shaped eyes, a lovely shade of dark brown. He likes the feel of his short platinum blonde hair, and how it falls naturally back into place when he moves it. He likes the look of his long bangs, and how they frame his nice jawlines. He likes his small nose, his thin eyebrows, and his curly eyelashes, and a plethora of little things. Baralai values his face more than any other part of his physical appearance because it says so much about him. Despite the nasty teasing throughout high school, he takes pride in his looks, and he will not let anyone tell him otherwise.

"Okay. I'm ready. Do you have all of your things?"

Yuna nods, and moves to get up. "Yes. My backpack is downstairs."

"Is there anything we need to pick up from your house?"

"No... Not that I can think of. I keep my textbooks and notebooks in my locker unless I need them."

"We will have to stop by your house anyway. I want you to shower, and have a change of clothes, too."

"Oh, no, we don't have to. I mean, do we have time?"

"It's close to six fifteen, so yes."

"Um, okay."

Curious of her sudden discomfort, Baralai dismisses it for now and leaves his bedroom, sensing Yuna's footsteps following close behind. In the kitchen, he grabs a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator, and remembers something he neglected to do yesterday. "You know what, I almost forgot to prepare Grandmother's food. Give me a moment..."

Hauling a giant can of apple sauce from the high cabinet, he places it down on the countertop and opens it with an electric can opener. Yuna watches him, fascinated, as he pours the contents into a white bowl, depositing the rest into a plastic container. From the bottom cabinet, he pulls out a pot and lid, and fills it with filtered water, putting it to boil on the stove.

"Can you pass me a wooden board from that drawer there?"

"Oh, of course. Here."

"Thank you. Can you take out a big glass bowl for me? From where I'm pointing. Yes, there. Thank you. Also, can you pass me two sticks of butter and a box of feta cheese from the refrigerator, please? Feta cheese looks like those white blocks floating in the water. You will see it."

Yuna fetches the items, eager to assist, and places them on the counter one by one beside him. Baralai pulls out several pieces of fluffy-looking bread from a plastic bag and starts slicing them into bite-sized cubes, dumping them into the enormous glass bowl he pulled from the other bottom cabinet. He cuts up chunks of butter and drops them in there, too, and whips out a plate and fork to mash the feta cheese into crumbled morsels.

"That looks fun. Can I smash them, too?"

"Here. You can do it for me. Thank you. When you are done with that, dump them in the bowl with the bread and butter."

Baralai leaves Yuna to her own devices, pleased by her desire to help, and moves to pull out a whole box of strawberries from the fridge, inserting the fruit into a bowl of cold water. Once the water on the stove begins to boil, he leaves the strawberries to soak and proceeds to dump the bread, cheese, and butter into the pot. Within seconds the butter melts, and Baralai turns the heat down to the LOW setting.

"Thank you for all your help. Would you like some popara?"

Yuna steps closer, peering at the bubbling mass. "You mean what's on the stove?"

"Yes. I know you must be in a rush to see your mother, but... I would feel guilty if I didn't you offer you any breakfast."

"Does it taste good?"

"Of course. It may not look impressive, but it's actually quite delicious. It's a common Bulgarian meal that kids love to eat for breakfast. You can eat it hot or cold, on any time of the day."

"I'll give it a try, but are you sure? You made this for your grandmother, right?"

"I can always make more. It's easy to prepare." Baralai switches off the stove and wipes his hands on a dish cloth, moving to grab two plates for themselves. When he turns to hand her one, he finds Yuna staring at him in a way Baralai will come to associate as daydreaming.

"What is it?"

"Oh! Nothing," she says, taking the plate, "Do you do this everyday?"

"Yes. I am responsible for all of Grandmother's dietary needs. Oh, must make sure to leave out her vitamins... There. Okay. I'm done. Let me dish you up some popara..."

"Thanks. You're very organized in the morning."

"Of course." They both sit at the dining table once their bowls are full, taking a moment to enjoy the meal. "I have to rely on myself in order for anything to get done around here."

"Don't your parents live here, though?"

"No. They live out-of-state. It's just Grandmother and I here."

"Are you not close with your parents?"

"No, not really," he says, pausing to chew and swallow, and he wonders why does she look at him with such sorrow in her eyes. "Apart from the weekly allowance they send me, I won't hear from them for days at a time unless I need something."

"Do you ever call them just to chat?"

"No. They are always too busy to chat, and even then, they are not at all that interesting to talk to. Besides, all they seem to care about is how Grandmother is doing." He stirs the sopping wet bread with his spoon, solemn. These are truths he has come to accept as fact, a part of his daily life; not until does he say it out loud do the words sound so _sad_. It embarrasses him to confide in someone when not even his best friends are privy to his private affairs. Something about Yuna, though, makes him want to talk, and he enjoys every single conversation they have ever shared.

This time Yuna says nothing more, and Baralai appreciates the silence.

* * *

Baralai expected Yuna to bolt the moment he parked in front of the hospital, but her level of restraint surprises him. Does his presence ease her nerves, or cause her to keep up appearances? He settles on the former when they cross the parking lot and she clasps the hem of his sweater.

They meet Yuna's father in the foyer, and Baralai stands in place as she rushes forward to hug him. Witnessing this intimate reunion between a father and daughter, it makes him feel like an intruder. He wants to step in and introduce himself, but doesn't know how without breaking them apart. Her father pulls away from the embrace first and turns to face him. The smile on his face encourages him to walk forward and reach out his hand.

"Hello, Mr. Alexander. I'm Baralai, Yuna's friend. We talked on the phone yesterday."

He takes his hand and shakes it. "I remember. You can call me Braska. Thank you for looking after her. It put my mind at ease to know she was safe and sound. Unless I'm wrong?"

"He did not hurt me, Dad. He was really nice." Yuna smiles, concealing the truth behind the makeup on her face. Baralai looks away, and hopes Braska does not see the guilt written all over his face.

"That's good to hear. I was planning to head over and drive Yuna to school, but she told me you have a car."

"Yes. I was going to take her after we saw her mother."

"I'd appreciate that. I was actually on my way to work." A quiet moment passes where Braska turns to lay eyes on his daughter, and lifts a hand to stroke her cheek. Something twists the proverbial jackknife in his heart, and Baralai tries to breathe through the unpleasant emotion in his throat. "I will see you at home."

"Okay. Goodbye, Dad."

_Goodbye._ Baralai's heart throbs, unsettled by that word and everything it entails. In this day and age, people take their lives and the lives of others for granted, never knowing when they will see their loved ones again. Never has this fact resonated more than last night, and as he watches Yuna and Braska embrace once more, his mouth forms words from the memory – a memory born from a happier time.

"...but not goodbye."

"Did you say something?" Braska says, curious.

"Oh, sorry, I–." Baralai pauses for a moment, thoughtful, and then his laugh breaks the silence. "'Farewell, but not goodbye.' I was just thinking how appropriate it sounded."

Yuna smiles a little, touched, and wipes the tear from her eye.

* * *

Once they have said their farewells to Mr. Alexander, Yuna and Baralai continue onwards. Yuna throws the door open once she reaches the room, and dashes inside. Baralai follows, watching her collapse by the comatose woman's side. Clutching onto her limp hand, and touching the bandages and wounds on her mother's face, Yuna pays attention to nothing else. Uncertainty weighs on his feet, and Baralai lingers by the doorway. He feels that sensation again, witnessing a tender moment not meant for his eyes, and steps back out, closing the door behind him. Baralai walks down the hallway, lost in thought.

_'Now that I stop to think about it, I never allowed Yuna the time alone to grieve.'_ She had been too unpredictable to leave alone and, as much as he wanted to be there for her, his constant hovering must make her feel suffocated. If he were in her place, he would feel suffocated, but he can't presume to know how she feels. Returning to the foyer, he sits down at a bench, crosses his legs, and sighs.

This agony and helplessness he feels, it paralyzes him. Never has he wanted to reach out to another human being like he does now, not even his ex-girlfriend or Grandmother, because he doesn't feel obligated to support Yuna. He wants to be there for her, and be involved in her life even though he doesn't have to.

_'But then again, I'm not as close to her as I would like. There are others, like Rikku, Paine, her friends, and her family, who would know what to say or do to make her feel better. Someone else Yuna would much rather lean on. I'm not the most empathic person, or quite the most sensitive one. I don't like saying pretty empty words, because what good are lies in the face of loss? What can I do for her?'_

Baralai sits there for what seems like a long time, staring off into space. He looks up when he senses her standing nearby, and suppresses the urge to frown when he sees how hard she strives to hide the heartbreak.

"There you are. I was wondering... where you went..." Her hand flies to her mouth after she chokes up, spooking him with the sudden flood of tears. "When I-I opened my eyes... you were gone...!" It occurs to him why the words sound so familiar. Yuna said the exact same thing earlier this morning, and only now does the reason dawn on him. Waking up alone scared her, sitting alone in a room with an unconscious woman scared her, the thought of losing him scared her. The truth scares him, but the loneliness and abandonment she must feel frightens him even more, and he blames himself for letting her ever feel that way.

Baralai stands up at once, and does not back away when she staggers to lean on him.

"The doctor said... she won't wake up for a long time..."

At a loss for words, he holds her close and lets the silence envelop them.


	6. Chapter 6 - Fool

_(A/N): Yay! Thank you, Tadora Angel, for subscribing! Now you can follow along to the Yunalai goodness, or the story of life. Whichever reason you decided to stay with us. __I wrote this chapter in Yuna's POV, actually, and the next chapter will be part two of April Fool's Day (also in Yunie's POV, or maybe even Baralai's, too? We shall see)._

_I hope I portrayed Yuna well. Peering into her mind made me realize how turbulent her emotions are, but not in a bad way. It's just very different compared to Baralai's logical behavior. I like it, though. :3_

* * *

Chapter 6 - Fool

_"The wise are wise only because they love. The fools are fools only because they think they can understand love."_

_~ Paulo Coelho_

* * *

_"Mr. Bevelle. Hi."_

_"Oh. Hello." Her PE teacher__ stops to place his hands down on his knees, and turns to regard her._

___Yuna heard the quiet echo of piano keys, and curiosity led her to stray from her normal path to the library and follow the distant trail of music. She poked her head in the doorway of the choir room, and saw someone seated at the bench, playing a plaintive melody. Now __Yuna strolls inside with her hands at her back, hovering by the old wooden piano._

_Outside of Gym Class, this man substituted for her American History teacher on occasion, and Baralai Bevelle made a strong impression on her as someone very young and handsome for his profession. Every student who has ever had him knew him as the kind of adult who combined discipline with fun-loving and engaging class time. Yuna recalls the day they were studying the Civil War: Mr. Bevelle had everyone split up in two teams, and marched between the opposite rows with his imaginary rifle, shooting down those unable to spit out rapid-fire facts of their ancestor's independence from the English colonies. Who knew an athlete could also be smart in book-related subjects, and possess the skills to play piano?_

_Never had Yuna met a man so passionate and intelligent, and before she knew it Baralai Bevelle formed the ideal man in her mind. Standing now in the same room as him makes her feel self-conscious, and the thought of being alone together causes her to blush._

___"What were you playing? It sounded wonderful."_

"Overcome_, by David Nevue. It's beautiful. One of my favorite modern piano pieces."_

_"Would you mind if I stayed to listen?"_

_"Not at all. I'm curious, though. Do you not have somewhere to be?" Yuna takes the seat he offers beside him, and shakes her head._

_"Not really. I usually wait for my friend to finish his swim practice, so I try to find ways to kill time."_

_"Kill time?" He chuckles, fingers poised on the correct keys. "You mean 'make the best of my time.' To kill time is such a horrible thing to say."_

_Yuna laughs. "Of course. How cruel of me."_

_"So, your friend..." Twinkling notes tinkle faster than the beat of her heart and Yuna feels the melancholic smile on her face. The melody sounds so profound. "Do I know this student?"_

_"Maybe. His name is Tidus."_

_"Ah. Tidus. I like his name. It's unique. Sounds similar to the Okinawan word for 'Sun,' _Tiida_."_

_It tickles Yuna pink how he glorifies her best friend's name with such knowledgable symbolism, and she grins. __"Unique like yours?" Baralai smiles and returns her teasing._

_"Yes, like yours. Did you know your name is the Okinawan word for 'Moon?'"_

_"My Dad did. He never let me forget it. Always calling me his precious moon..."_

_The conversation trails off, for a lack of better things to say. Comfortable silence settles, giving them freedom to enjoy the music without the interruption of words. The melody matures into a powerful message of emotion and celebration, and Yuna wonders why it sounds so familiar, if perhaps her father had listened to it during his times of leisure. She watches his deft fingers dance across the keys, hears the slight slip-ups and experienced precision of each hit. Not the best piano player in the world, but Baralai shows his love and dedication for the piece in the fruits of his practice._

_Once the music ends, dead silence reigns._

_"...I love your playing. It's full of emotion, and strength."_

_He sighs, smiling, looking tired all of a sudden. "Thank you."_

_"It makes me think of my father. If he heard it, I'm sure he would have loved it."_

_"Funny you would say that."_

_"Really? What do you..."_

_"David Nevue's ninth CD album was called _'Overcome.'_ It's a response to his father who died of cancer a few years before the album's release. Many people would think the music focuses on sadness or sorrow, but it isn't. Rather, it serves as a testimony to the spiritual process of passing through it."_

_"Passing through it..." Yuna echoes the words that whisper in her heart. "You mean pain?"_

_"Yes."_

_"I see."_

_Lifting her hands, she lets them drape on the piano keys, pressing one after the other in a slow and pensive manner. Her small smile masks what she truly feels inside. Loss. Heartbreak. Resignation._

_"Ms. Alexander?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"I think..." Pause. His eyes are trained on her, and then he looks away. "You seem to be doing better."_

_Her fingers freeze, as does her breathing. "Doing better?"_

_"Compared to how you were like two years ago."_

_"Oh..." Unsure of what to say, Yuna ducks her chin to hide the beginnings of tears behind her bangs. "Um, I... I didn't think..."_

_"What? That anyone wouldn't notice? I did." Silence, tense silence. "Ms. Alexander?"_

_"Uh, y-yes?"_

_"What are you still doing here?" Yuna looks up, startled by the blunt question and intimidated by his look. His brown eyes are dark, boring through her very soul. She realized a long time ago she will never get away with lying to him, because his ability of perception frightens her. And then he averts his eyes at long last, as if suddenly aware of his unkind behavior. "If I remember correctly, you were waiting on a friend. I think enough time has passed for you to leave now."_

_"True. You're right."_

_"I will see you next Monday."_

_"Okay. Um..."_

_"Yes?"_

_Yuna fidgets in her seat, solemn, yet self-conscious. "D-Don't be afraid about scaring me, um... I... I like being around you. Today, I... I found myself loitering here, because I saw you and I..." Gulping down the trepidation, she tries to control the hammering of her heart. She can feel her face flush at the thought of what she wanted to say, hoping he won't misunderstand, daring to initiate eye contact._

_"I wanted to be with you."_

_He shows little reaction, except for the pensive look on his poker face, and Yuna stammers to explain herself. "You... you always make me feel better, n-no matter what you do..."_

_"I know. I understand what you meant. My mind was just elsewhere." Baralai forces the smile, as if to reassure her when he would rather still be thinking about those mystery-wrapped thoughts of his. Her inner doubt seems to think he likes fabricating smiles to fool the world, but her heart believes therein lies some semblance of real emotion beneath each carefully crafted expression. If you would stop to strip away the professional mask, he might have his reasons for trying to appear strong. Those are the thoughts that crosses Yuna's mind when she watches him and recognizes the same mask she wears on herself. Or that can be her getting too ahead of herself, wanting to feel some sort of empathic connection towards a man who holds little personal involvement in her life._

_"Thank you," he says, pressing the keys to play a simpler melody more uplifting than the last. "For what you said, it meant a lot." Baralai's bashful smile brings out an endearing side of him she rarely sees, and the random sounding of the school bell startles Yuna out of her trance. He laughs when she jumps out of her seat. "Strange how the bell does that even after school has ended."_

_"Y-Yeah..." Tucking some hair behind her ear, Yuna stands and hoists her backpack onto her shoulder. "I'm happy we got to talk, Mr. Bevelle. It's been awhile."_

_"Of course. It has been a pleasure."_

* * *

Yuna drops her pen, and sags into her seat.

_'What am I thinking, writing a story about him? About — us? This is so embarrassing!'_

The depth of her private emotions in relation to someone she knows in real life captured in the written word — the thought of it mortifies her. She returned to school that day, and felt her entire world shift polarities. In the sea of unfamiliar people, the familiar faces of all her friends and acquaintances are alien to her. How would they react if she told them about what happened over the weekend? Would they make a big deal out of it, or think of her differently if she dared to pour her heart out to them? Would they understand? Do people even need to know what happened? Knowing Rikku, the news would spread like wildfire and everyone will know in due time. Yuna's not sure whether or not she wants to face the pity.

She went about her school day, walking from class to class, taking notes, listening in on the lectures with half an ear, daydreaming of horrifying and intimate things, all the while wondering what will she say to Baralai next time they meet. After everything that happened over the weekend, she can no longer think of him the same. His actions have earned her complete trust in him, and more. Anybody would have taken advantage of her, anybody — exploit a vulnerable and beautiful girl in her time of emotional need, but Baralai did no such thing. He had been there for her, refrained from gross judgement and complaint.

_'I want to see him. He makes me feel so safe.'_ Her eyes start to water, blurring the desk and her surroundings, and she manages to stifle the hiccup, wiping her eyes discreetly. The teacher sits at his desk, grading papers while her classmates are silent, engrossed in their assignment. Seeing her mother earlier this morning didn't make her feel any better; it only opened the floodgates she barred shut, emotion soaking through her every word and action. She wants to let it out, but there are too many people around, and _'where are you? I want to be in your arms, I need you'_

She must learn to hold herself strong somehow, because she knows Baralai won't always be there to support her.

* * *

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Do it for me?"

"For the last time, Chappu: NO!"

"Sissy."

"I am not a sissy!" Yuna says, her voice shrill with annoyance. Only her best friend holds the power to thin out her patience. The red-head in question leans back against the table, arms folded behind his head and grinning like a madman who's killed too many people to count. In this case, the various shreds of humanity Yuna still has and counting.

"You are and you know it."

"Don't make me angry." She threatens him with the most intimidating voice she can muster, and by Chappu's mocking impersonation of the Hulk she can tell it failed to dissuade him.

"You don't like me when I'm angry…" He cackles, wiping the tears of mirth from his eyes. "Seriously, why so chicken? It's April Fool's Day. The prank you have to do is simple and harmless."

"'Simple'? How is a love confession 'simple'? And 'harmless'? What if I hurt his feelings?" Considering the person Yuna's been dared to prank, she doubts there will be any feelings in his egotistical heart to hurt. But she always goes out of her way to respect other people's feelings no matter how mean or scary they are.

"Imagine how nerve-wracking it would be if you had to confess to _Tidus_," Chappu says in a sing-song voice, and the apple juice Yuna had been drinking shoots out of her mouth with hilarious velocity.

"But that wouldn't be a prank!" she says, soft and wary, looking around incase someone had heard. Wiping the juice off her chin with a napkin, she glowers at Chappu, indignation forming in the shape of a frown.

"Exactly. A prank love confession should not be taken seriously. There is nothing to lose by going through with this. On the contrary, you'll have a couple of laughs." Before Yuna can open her mouth to retaliate, Chappu snatches her arms and hauls her up on her feet, dragging his friend against her will to the other side of the quad. "Now get. I'll be watching you, so you can give up on weaseling your way out of this."

"B-But—!" Yuna stumbles after he shoves her forward, and manages to catch herself by grabbing onto a nearby table. The teenagers sitting there give her odd looks, snickering at her clumsiness. _'What have I done to deserve this? Oh, I forgot. Chappu loves to mess with people. After all, his friends are his victims.'_

Straightening herself, she directs her attention to the group of jocks occupying an entire table, and Gippal Ortega sits in the middle as their Alpha Male. The one individual she dreads to confront, the captain of the soccer team. When she sees him laugh at a joke his friend told, guilt hinders her to go through with this. _'I don't want to do this. Do I really have to walk up to him and confess out of the blue in front of all his friends? What will I do if he accepts? What if he rejects me? Oohhh...'_

But knowing Chappu, he will only cook up a prank worse than the last if you refuse to participate in his mayhem. Yuna takes a deep breath, and prepares for the worst. "Hi, um, Gippal." Tearing himself away from the current conversation, the boy in question smiles at her with looks that can kill a lady's heart. _'Do not fall for it, Yuna!'_

"Hey, girl, what's up?"

"Hi…" _'Dummy, you already said that!'_

She tucks a strand of brown hair behind her ear, nervous. Before Yuna can scavenge the courage to speak again, someone calls her name. As Yuna turns around, she feels her whole world slow down as her heart beats faster.

Baralai approaches, demure smile present and right hand clenched on the strap of his shoulder backpack, the other lifted in a friendly wave, looking so majestic and confident in his stride, that she imagines running into his embrace. The beating of her heart pumps warmth into her dimpled cheeks as he picks her up in his strong arms. He twirls her round and round as she clutches him tighter, and Baralai holds her up high to peer into her eyes. He smiles the way he does when she says something that amuses or impresses him, and feelings of warmth and affection bloom in her chest, pooling into a reservoir of emotion.

"Good afternoon." His voice anchors her back to reality, dragging her out from the world of idle fantasies. She gasps, and shakes her head, feeling her face burn to the point of imminent combustion. Baralai stands in front of her, confused by her reaction, and dismisses it with a polite smile. "I'm glad I ran into you. I packed some strawberries for you. I was wondering if you would like to share."

"O-Of course! I'd love to. I love fruit." Yuna clears her throat, embarrassed by the sheer volume of her enthusiasm.

"Okay." She blushes again, spellbound by the sound of his boyish laugh. _'Cupid, shoot me down, for I can't take this anymore. Why? Why me? Why am I so...__'_

"Ah, but before that... Here you are, Gippal." Yuna deadpans, and kicks herself in the head. _'I'm not here to make small talk, or daydream of silly romantic things. I need to focus.'_ Turning to regard Gippal who realized she garners no further interest, she watches him stand up to greet Baralai.

"YES! Finally! I was starving. My waifu! You are my waifu! Come here, lemme give you some good ol' Gippal love—."

Baralai 'kindly' inserts his boot into his stomach, shoving him back down on the bench to intercept his glomp.

"No, thank you."

"Wait, what is this? It looks like crap!"

"It is not 'crap,' it's popara," he says, crossing his arms. "It's healthy for you with plenty of calcium."

"I've had it before. It's actually pretty good," Yuna says, smiling.

"Hmm, well, if the Goddess doth proclaims it is good, it must be good." Despite his easy-going carriage, Gippal pokes at the food with a plastic spork, sniffing it once and twice, and poking it again incase it jumps out at him to suck his brains out, before bringing a morsel to his lips. He licks it, chews it, and then swallows. Baralai smiles despite his sigh, rolling his eyes, amused by his melodramatic display. "Huh. Not bad."

"I thought of you while making it."

"Aww, thanks, B'man."

"After all, children love to eat popara."

Gippal almost chokes in the bread, and coughs, startled by the jest. "This crap?! In what country?"

"Hmm, let's see... In countries like Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Macedonia—."

"Okay. I get it. Europe... Yeesh. I'm just a child to you, aren't I? We were never equals in this partnership!"

"Desist with your sniveling. You are fooling no one." Baralai suppresses the twitch of another smile and turns to address Yuna, curious. "Not to be rude, but why are you here? You don't usually eat with Gippal."

"...you know, B'man's got a point. What's up?"

_'Darn. Why does Baralai have to be so observant?'_ Yuna had hoped to avoid this. The words she wants to say completely die on her tongue at the expectant look on Gippal's face. Helpless, Yuna looks behind her shoulder and pleads with Chappu through frantic eye contact to bail her out. He does no such thing, except smile like a cocky troublemaker without any regards to her poor feelings.

"Is Chappu blackmailing you again?"

"Huh?" Surprised, Yuna swerves around to face him. "W-What makes you say that?"

"Because you were just looking at him," Gippal says, chuckling, fiddling with the soccer ball on his lap. "Is there something you want to tell me? Don't be shy now. Whatever you can say, you can say in front of my peeps."

"It's okay." _'It is not okay!'_

"Let's hear it, then." Gippal reclines back on the bench, stretching his arms, before letting them fall back down on the table. Yuna gulps. _'This is it.'_

"Gippal." He raises his eyebrows, and Yuna nibbles her bottom lip. "The thing is…"

**_"What's there to lose?"_** '_Chappu was right. Maybe I do complicate things more than they should be.'_

"I'm in love with you!"

Birds shoot into the air, scared by her ground-breaking confession. The crowded tables fall silent as countless pair of eyes glue themselves at the pair. Yuna wants to run, but her feet are paralyzed with shock, her hands clenched over her frantic heart.

Before she can comprehend anything over the explosion of catcalls, Gippal lunges forward to hug her. One moment she feels suffocating warmth, the feel of his groping hands on her back, the next she hears the echo of a sharp slap resound in the cold air. Everyone falls silent, voices rising soon after in a chorus of shouts, as they just witnessed Baralai slap Gippal's hands away. He steps in between them, pulling Yuna behind him and pushing Gippal back.

"You have a girlfriend," Baralai says, yelling on top of everyone else. "Act like an adult. If a girl comes up to you and confesses her love, be it sincere or not, you turn her down. Don't take advantage of her feelings to fool around."

Without giving Gippal the time to react, Baralai grabs her hand and leaves the quad, pulling her along while ignoring the wolf whistles and jeers that bounces off their backs. His tight grip on her hand scares her, and as they weave through the thin crowd of people she wants to ask where he plans on taking her, too scared to break the tense silence. He keeps taking her further and further back to the edge of campus, stalking across an empty hallway behind the library that rounds the corner, and at the end he pushes the double doors ajar. Yuna staggers outside and hears the doors slam shut, winded by the trip, and finds herself gazing out into the football field and portable classrooms down below. Very few people meander in this part of school. Baralai walks ahead and leans on the railing, glaring into the distance.

"Explain to me why you were at the forefront of that farce."

"Um, it was supposed to be a prank."

"I know it was a prank. What I'm asking is why would you agree to participate in that kind of malarkey?"

"I don't know. Chappu was trying to cheer me up, I think. I told him about my mom."

"Forcing someone to confess their fake love to a friend who's dating their family hardly constitutes to comfort."

His sarcasm angers her more than it should, and she snaps. "I don't see why you are so affected by it. You had nothing to do with it."

"On the contrary. I never took you for the type of person who jumps at everyone's slightest whim."

"I'm — I'm not a doormat!"

"What I saw there begs to differ."

"That's what I don't understand. Why do you care?"

"I am your friend, and I just watched you get sexually harassed by my best friend. I can tell you didn't want to be there, but you did nothing to defend yourself. What would have happened if I hadn't thought about seeing him? Would the public humiliation continue and progress into something more shameful?"

"You... y-you didn't have to pull me away like that..." she says, sniffling, "Now people will get the wrong idea..."

"I don't care what they think. I would rather die than watch you humiliate yourself."

"It wasn't a big deal..."

"It was a big deal to you."

Awkward silence. She starts to cry, because he only speaks the truth. The way he raises his voice scares her, even though he only acts this way _because_ he cares. Yuna tries to hold onto Yunalesca's words for comfort, and wonders if Baralai's also angry about something else, which added fuel to the fire of his temper.

"...a-are you still angry over Sunday night?"

"...what do you mean?"

"For slapping me." Yuna hears the denial in his silence, and she sniffs. "You were right. I-I was uncomfortable. Thank you for defending me, even though it embarrassed me." He smiles a little, reluctant to let go of his anger, and steps closer, moving to touch the tears. Something flits across his eyes, causes him to falter and drop his hand. Her heart throbs when he looks away and turns his back on her, going back to rest his arms on the railing. She can feel his remorse as if it were her own.

The eminent image Yuna built him on shatters: He has a dark temper. He would hit a woman. He lies, he loses control. He's a human being. This does not make Yuna think any less of him, though. It makes her feel that much closer to him, because his flaws show he's far from perfect, but she wouldn't have him any other way. _'I can't ask for a better friend.'_

She joins him at the railing, shoulder to shoulder and looking out into the distance. Peace and silence cradles the unspoken apology, and her forgiveness.


End file.
